Changes in the High Desert

I guess I should spill, given that big changes are afoot in my life.

DBF and I have decided that we will be getting married in the next year or so (I guess that makes him DF!) DF is very private (he describes himself as semi-antisocial), so I don't talk about him on the blog much. This is kind of an unlikely development, since neither one of us has exactly been involved in a relationship for quite a while until we met 2 years ago on Super Bowl Sunday. Something clicked initially and has continued to develop into something much more. I think we can get past each of our independent streaks and make it work.


I'm not expecting to have a big production for the wedding. Been there, did that. And big fancy weddings can be a little weird when the bride and groom have been around the block several times. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just my opinion. But you know, the first wedding is often planned for the family, so I figure this one can be for us.


We're beginning to look at houses in the far Northeast Heights of Albuquerque, which means my beloved casa will be going on the market this spring. Not the timing I would have picked to sell a house, but perhaps it'll pay off on the purchase side. In the meantime, I'll be doing some fixing up to make the house look as nice as possible so I can get my equity out soon.


I don't think these developments will affect the blog much, but wanted you all to know in case I did a disappearing act or (more likely) started blogging about houses and home repairs all of the time.

I Actually Sewed Something

A little bit of sewing mojo has returned. This is my newest version of the Loes Hinse Tango Skirt that I made from some rayon I bought at Hancock's several months ago. I made View B again, this time in Small--and it fits!

I took my own advice this time and traced off an additional copy of the pattern for the skirt panel. With 10 identical panels, it's a chore to keep pinning, cutting, repinning, recutting, etc. etc. Having an extra copy helps a bit.

I took 2 5/8" off the length with this version. The current look in skirts is a bit shorter than it was a couple of years ago and this one looks much better at 30" vs. 34" in length. I took the excess length off at the waistband to preserve that lovely flare at the bottom of the skirt. Now that I know what length I like, I'll adjust the pattern pieces accordingly so I can have the right length from the get-go.

My only complaint is that it's a little tight in the waist. I used the length of elastic Loes recommends on the pattern guidesheet; I should have added at least an inch to that. But given her elastic waist technique, I'm not ripping it all out and starting again. If you're unfamiliar with Loes' patterns, she doesn't have you make a simple casing that you insert the elastic into. Oh no, her way is more industrial--you actually serge the elastic to the skirt's waist, fold it down, then sew that serged edge to the rest of the skirt with a straight stitch. It actually looks pretty good, but once it's in, it's in. So far, so good, though. I'm wearing the skirt at work today and even though the elastic is snug, it's OK to wear. I can breathe and I'm not fidgeting. Maybe the elastic will even relax a little bit more with wearing and washing.

The King is Dead, Long Live the King

I mentioned in a previous post that my Bernina steam generator had died and gone to appliance heaven after many years of loyal service. Last night, its replacement was waiting on the porch when I got home from work. The new steam generator is a Rowenta that I picked up on eBay. I'm very happy with the dealer. The iron came new in its factory packaging, then it was repacked with additional padding in another sturdy box, and shipped via FedEx Home. I mention this because he charges a substantial shipping fee ($19.95) that some of the previous buyers commented on. However, I'd rather pay a bit more and have it arrive in pristine condition. I still saved money over retail.

Oh honey, this baby is suh-weeet!! It did a wonderful job on its debut, nicely pressing some brown rayon challis that I'm making a new Loes Hinse Tango skirt from. I was so psyched about the freshly pressed fabric that I laid out and cut out all the pieces for the skirt last night. Cutting is not my favorite aspect of sewing!

I like the design of it, too. It has that cool moderne European look

This morning I put Rowenta to work again, and it did a lovely job freshening up a cashmere sweater so I could wear it to work. I think I have a new best friend in the sewing room.

Sewing Room Activity

2/11/08: ETA another RTW item that I hemmed this weekend.

No "real" sewing this weekend, although I spent plenty of time in the sewing room. I faced my nemesis, hemming of RTW, by working on 3 pairs of black pants. You see, I'm 5'4" but petite pants are too short on me. I've got to buy regulars and shorten them. Ugggghhhhh. Since I dread the task, I put it off as long as possible, so 2 pairs have been waiting in the queue for quite some time. Fortunately, they still fit. Oops, and forgot to mention I also hemmed up a gored skirt--serged the cut edge, pressed it up, and made a narrow machine hem. Great, I have more clothes for work!

I also picked up the latest Burda WOF, the one that Mardel featured on her blog. I just fell in love with the green twist front dress. Apparently, there is only one place in Albuquerque that sells this magazine, and I bought one of the last two in the store. That's just incredible to me. Oh, and that place is Page One Books.

My steam generator iron died this week after almost 7 years of service, so I did my first-ever foray into eBay. A new one is heading its way to me from New Jersey. Fingers are crossed that all goes well.

Thoughts on Developing a Wardrobe

I recently posted to a thread on PR called Wardrobe from Your Closet and Stash, with discussion of the wardrobing advice that appears in various media. One of the things that bugs me about such lists is that so often, they suggest specific items that do not take into account the individual variances each person has in her life due to climate, career, etc. For example, it's all well and good to suggest that a cashmere sweater is a wardrobe "must", but what if the reader lives in Hawaii or South Florida? How can that person use the list to work for her life?

I recently discovered a nice little book on wardrobing that takes a different approach. It's called Dressing Nifty After Fifty, by Corinne Richardson.

OK, so I'm reading it a little early since I'm not quite 50 yet. But Amazon had one of those deals where you get a discount if you buy 2 related titles, and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The author's emphasis is not on having a ton of clothes but on having exactly the clothes needed and to be in style without sacrificing comfort and fit.

One of the keys to her wardrobing strategy is to list your usual activities during a typical 14 day period. All of them, even if you do them only occasionally. Don't worry if it's not perfect, it's supposed to provide a general guide to the type of activities you do. Come up with as many 14 day plans as you need--for example, if you're a teacher with summers off, you'd have a plan for the school year and a plan for the summer. Or if you live in the North but spend winters in Florida or Arizona, you'd need an acitivity list for each. You get the idea.

After doing this exercise, you can see what your lifestyle needs are and develop your wardrobe from there. The author does have an opinion about what sort of items should be in a wardrobe (they all do), but I like that she comes from the standpoint of "what do you need?" vs. "you should always wear these."

Related was the concept of "private dress code", the clothes you wear when relaxing or hanging out, and "public uniform," outfits that fit the general public's expectation of what's suitable or appropriate for a particular situation. Your wardrobe should have both, but the proportion of each is based on those 14 day activity lists. In my life, I have a lot of "public uniforms" because I work in sales and I'm representing my employer. If I were retired or a SAHM, I'd have more clothes that fit my "private dress code." However you always need a few "public" things--it's awful to have to throw a decent outfit together if you get a last minute invitation to an event or have to go to a funeral. She also considers what clothes to have that can dress up or down.

And yes, there is discussion of black. She likes it, also charcoal gray and brown. Readers, I know that some of you are opposed to black or navy or brown or gray--whatever--we all have basic colors we hate. But having basic, even bland colors in your wardrobe is helpful. They provide a base you can work from--the more fun colors are your accents that create your look. Think about it, how often can you really wear a fun colored suit? Once a month? Twice? But a basic colored suit could be worn many times in a month without getting "the eye" from your co-workers, as long as you vary the top you wear with it and the accessories. You could even break it up and wear the pieces separately.

This book is relatively small, with short chapters and large print. Not a lot of "filler" to bulk it up. It doesn't have a lot of photos like What Not to Wear and similar books, but it does have a lot of ideas. It seems like the author truly lives what she writes about, and I appreciate that.